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Last-Minute Cleveland V-Day Guide 💝

Last-Minute Cleveland V-Day Guide 💝

February 14, 2025

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Good morning, Cleveland! Skip the weather small talk (though let's be real, it's probably changing every 5 minutes anyway). We're diving straight into the juicy stuff – downtown drama, West Side stories, and events that'll make your weekend actually worth leaving your couch for. 🌇🍺

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In today’s 216 Scoop Edition:

Only the chains remain? Edgewater neighborhood is losing its local luster
Orchid Mania: An exotic elixir to cure the grey, cold winter
Just-opened Love Coffee brings more than java to Parma
No reservations, no problem: Last-minute (and cheap) Valentine’s Day options
Monster Jam machines bring the madness to Rocket Mortgage

John Petkovic, Mark Espinosa, Victor Takakura

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IN THE NEWS

Only the chains remain? Edgewater neighborhood is losing its local luster

Photos courtesy the individual shops and eateries except top left, by John Petkovic, and bottom right, via Cleveland Memory Project.

Changes come slowly and then they come fast. The Clifton Boulevard Historic District is getting less historic by the month.

For decades, the stretch of Clifton in the westernmost part of Cleveland has been a magnet for charming vintage and antique shops, small bakeries and eateries.

The Edgewater neighborhood lost some of its charm as turnover in shops increased over the last 20 years as more chains and fewer personal businesses moved in.

The change has accelerated.

Papa Nick’s, a family-owned Italian restaurant since 1976, has closed its doors. It was located next to the Tick Tock Tavern – an iconic restaurant known for wings, ribs and fish specials and cozy bar – which closed in December after 75 years of business.

In November, Flower Child announced that it was moving to a new location on West 1117th street in Lakewood. Cleveland’s pre-eminent vintage and antiques shop has anchored the area and been a destination for shoppers for 25 years.

A real estate listing for the former Tick Tock space highlights area businesses – almost exclusively chains.

The city has pushed for the redevelopment of the area for more than a decade to address concerns over crime and decay.

The closing of Tick Tock followed two high-profile shootings that involved patrons and complaints about noise and unruliness about the venue and the neighborhood as a whole.

The historic but dilapidated circa-1926 Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist was demolished in 2016 as part of an apartment project. The neighborhood has seen the entries of Chipotle and Colorado-based Lucky’s Market. It has also seen the departure of the Diner on Clifton, an iconic mainstay for decades. The spot was renovated and is now Landmark Smokehouse.

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Orchid Mania: An exotic elixir to cure the grey, cold winter

Photo courtesy Cleveland Botanical Garden

It’s a celebration of love – but also the hope that, yes, spring will show up, eventually.

Every year, Orchid mania lures more 25,000 shut-ins out of their homes to explore the wide and exotic world of orchids at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

The 19th annual ‘Orchids: Love in Bloom’ opens today and runs through Sunday March 30. It features a sprawling and ornately-arrange collection of more than 4,000 orchids – most of which from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia and Central America.

There have been hundreds of romantic and melancholic odes dedicated to orchids, from poet Sam Hamill to Johnny Cash, White Stripes, Frank Sinatra and George Gershwin.

They have been used for medicinal purposes in China and Japan for 4,000 years ago. In Cleveland, they’re an exotic elixir for the grey, cold winter.

“Orchids have long been symbols of love, beauty, and devotion, captivating hearts and inspiring admiration across cultures and centuries,” according to Amanda Hannah, director of Botanical Garden Horticulture at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, in a press release.

The show features a number of events, starting with Friday’s Valentine’s opening – which features live music, food and drinks in the café. For a complete schedule, go here.

Just-opened Love Coffee brings more than java to Parma

Photos by John Petkovic

Parma’s food and drink options have experienced steady growth that has gone under the radar. The city and its neighbor, Parma Heights, boast some of the top Eastern European, Indian and Korean restaurants – not to mention Mexican and Japanese spots.

What the area has lacked is a solid coffee house scene. But that too is changing – with Café Blanc, 6500 Pearl Road, Parma Heights and the just-opened Love Coffee.

For three years, owner Julie Bruno operated a coffee truck and made regular stops in the parking lot of Rudy’s Strudel. Then a year ago, the Parma resident and Parma High School grad decided to get a permanent space down the street, in the old Krakow Deli space at 5842 Ridge Road.

“I put the money down on the lease a year ago and spent months working on this place,” says Bruno, who points to the elaborate wooden countertop that she crafted herself.

She also assembled and installed the cozy, colorful décor – couches, music-themed art work, shelves, cushy pillows and a lot of hearts. And she designed the drink menu – which includes an array of specialty lattes, like the Parma Peeps – and a variety of pastries, muffins and Danishes.

Not content with décor and food and drink, she’s also programming events – to make it as much a hang out as a java stop.

“We’re doing trivia nights and will have live music on Fridays and have other things we’re working on,” she says. “I grew up just across the street and want to make this a place where people can come together for events.”

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The 216 Rundown

No reservations, no problem: Last-minute (and cheap) Valentine’s Day options

Big-box stores and mega corporations cash in with Christmas. Valentine’s Day is the sweet tooth for mom-and-pop restaurants, candy and flower shops.

Americans are expected to spend $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day, an average of $188 per person. Most of that goes into local economies.

That doesn’t mean you have to blow your life savings to treat your sweetheart. Here are some low-cost, last-minute options that don’t require a reservation:

Sweetheart Showcase at the Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland: Cleveland Burlesque rolls out its 14th annual Valentine’s show and will pay tribute to Ann Corio, the burlesque legend who titillated thousands during her stops at Cleveland’s Roxy Theater. 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Love Sucks at Mahall’s, 13200 Madison Avenue, Lakewood: Suck on this: A vampire-themed Valentine’s soiree complete with vampire movie soundtracks and Goth, emo and new wave tunes. 9 p.m. Friday.

Rood Food & Pie, 17001 Madison Ave, Lakewood: A charming spot that hits the sweet spot – with some of best pies in town, not to mention eclectic and innovative small and large plates (and stellar vegan and vegetarian options).

Ride the carousel at Malley's 23473 Lorain Rd, North Olmsted: Willy Wonka didn't have a carousel to sit and spin in while eating his treats. Alas, this place boasts one with animal murals, mirrors and a circus vibe.

Goth Night at B-Side Lounge, 2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard, Cleveland: Wear your black heart on your sleeve with this bash – which rolls out, yes, Goth, but also dark wave, industrial and aggrotech tunes. 9 p.m. Friday.

“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy”: The fourth installment in the series features Bridget (Renee Zellweger) as a widow and single mom who hits the dating apps. No theater showings; it’s streams on Peacock.

BA Sweeties, 6770 Brookpark Road, Cleveland: This insanely huge and colorful and crazy candy store is one big wacky package of sweets and sodas – perfect for your funny Valentine.

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NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKINVINTAGE CLEVELAND

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Friday-Saturday

Egads, these revved-up machines of mayhem make me think we’re living in some post-apocalyptic ‘Mad Max’ dystopia…

Oh well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

Give it up for annual Monster Jam, which opens a three-day romp at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Friday. It rolls out crazy-looking machines that duel and race and perform with one another. For more info, go here.

VINTAGE CLEVELAND

Clifton Boulevard and West 117th Street. The area has always been a hub for mom-and-pop shops and eateries — most of which have been there for decades… until recently. The Clifton Boulevard Historic District has gotten less historic with the departure of longtime shops and eateries. This is how it looked in 1955.

Cleveland Memory Project

Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop & @The216ScoopOfficial to get your photos in the Scoop!

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WEATHER

Friday - 02/14
28°F 🌡️ 26°F | ☁️ | 0% | 💨 N 10 mph (9 knots)

Saturday - 02/15
40°F 🌡️ 31°F | 🌧️❄️ | 80% | 💨 SW 15 mph (13 knots)

Sunday - 02/16
35°F 🌡️ 28°F | ❄️ | 60% | 💨 NW 12 mph (10 knots)

Note: This forecast is based on data from weather.com.

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